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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29274648">Dark Pulse</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/imhereandimfine/pseuds/imhereandimfine'>imhereandimfine</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Critical Ditto (Podcast)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen, dark timeline, what if</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 01:35:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,111</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29274648</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/imhereandimfine/pseuds/imhereandimfine</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After his encounter with Frey, Kenny knew only one thing: He had to run.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dark Pulse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This fic is an AU, inspired by a conversation in Sky Attack #8, where Kenny brought up the possibility of Frey unlocking his powers. And I thought, what if that actually happened?</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Kenny bolted through the forest. He didn’t know where he was going, he just knew he had to get <em>away</em>. Away from people, buildings, and <em>especially</em> away from anyone he loved.</p><p>"Kenny." rang Pete's voice in his head.</p><p>It was loud. Booming. Louder and more commanding than he’d ever heard before.</p><p>Toukey was nowhere to be heard now.</p><p>He felt it, deep in his stomach. That familiar hurling sensation.</p><p>He fired the powerful blast at a nearby tree.</p><p>
  <em>BOOM.</em>
</p><p>The tree exploded, obliterated into sawdust.</p><p>Somehow, it didn’t feel uncontrolled like every other time he’d fired a blast.</p><p>No.</p><p>This felt <em>precise</em>. And <em>powerful</em>.</p><p>It felt like he had more control over his powers than ever before.</p><p><em>And that</em>, thought Kenny, <em>was terrifying</em>.</p><p>"Kenny." boomed Pete’s voice again, somehow louder than before.</p><p>"<em>NO!</em>" Kenny yelled. "Leave me <em>ALONE!</em></p><p>His legs burned.</p><p>He didn’t know how far away he was from Brandi and Theo, or even if they were running after him.</p><p>All he knew was that he had to run.</p><p>"They’re not following you, Kenny. You’re a monster. They know what you did to Dora, and they’re afraid that you’re going to do that to them. They’ve <em>left</em> you, Kenny. They don’t care. They’re afraid of you. You’re a <em>monster</em>. Listen to me, Kenny. You know I’m right."</p><p>“No! You’re not right. Brandi, Theo, they would <em>never...</em>” Kenny shook his head, trying to somehow shake the voice from his head.</p><p>“But how do you know that?”</p><p>The question tolled around his head like a bell. It was one he knew he’d asked himself so many times before, and the one question he knew he could never escape.</p><p>“Because... Because I <em>said so</em>, Pete, now leave me <em>ALONE!</em>”</p><p>“Kenny? Kenny, are you there?”</p><p>That didn’t sound like Pete’s voice. That sounded like-</p><p>“Bowtie, do you see anything up there?”</p><p>Theo. Brandi.</p><p>The pit of Kenny’s stomach dropped like a rock.</p><p>“No. <em>No</em>. <em>Nononononono</em>.” Kenny muttered, hiding behind a large oak tree.</p><p>“Ellie hasn’t spotted anything either.”</p><p>Another familiar voice, although this one wasn’t Theo or Brandi.</p><p>“Kenny, it’s okay, we’re not going to hurt you. Just come out from where you’re hiding and we can help you.”</p><p>
  <em>Candy?</em>
</p><p>Kenny’s mind started racing. <em>Why were they involving the Pokémon League?! Were they going to bring him in? He hadn’t done anything, were they afraid he was going to end up like Alyza and were just bringing him in before anything happened?</em></p><p>“I don’t see why we’re looking for him. If anything, it’s safer for us if we don’t. Keeps us out of danger.”</p><p>
  <em>Heron? How many people did they bring?! Were they aware just how dangerous he was?</em>
</p><p>“It’s called <em>empathy</em>, Heron, if you could just get your pretentious head out your-"</p><p>Kenny's head pounded.</p><p>“Empathy? You’re a monster. They wouldn’t have empathy for you.”</p><p>Pete's voice was getting too loud to withstand. Too booming to fight.</p><p>He silently wished for Toukey to appear, to defend him, to <em>save</em> him from the Scolipede’s voice.</p><p>But he knew it was futile.</p><p>Pete had grown too much at this point for Toukey to be able to do anything, if he was even there anymore.</p><p>Kenny shrunk down behind the tree, clutching his head.</p><p>There was nothing he could do anymore.</p><p>
  <em>Alright. You win.</em>
</p><p>Kenny’s eyes darkened to a deep purple.</p><p>He felt the power he had attempted to suppress flow through him, from his toes to the tips of his fingers.</p><p>He heard the crunching of leaves nearby. Footsteps approaching.</p><p>He slowly stood up, and emerged from behind the tree.</p><p>“Kenny!” Brandi exclaimed, happily relieved. She wanted to run up and give him a hug, but she knew to keep her distance. She’d encountered Poképowered people who’d lost control of their powers before, and she knew that Kenny was vastly more powerful than any she’d encountered before.</p><p>Despite suddenly becoming very subconsciously aware of the S shaped scar she had carved into her side, Brandi slowly approached Kenny.</p><p>Kenny raised his arm, his palm facing directly towards Brandi.</p><p>“Kenny-"</p><p>Kenny slowly shakily moved his arm from facing towards Brandi, seemingly fighting a humongous internal battle, struggling to keep it from snapping back into position.</p><p>“Please. Don’t get any closer. I don’t want to hurt you.” The Scolipedic voice resounded from Kenny.</p><p>“It’s okay, we’re here to help you." Brandi said reassuringly. “You don’t need to run anymore.”</p><p>The blast fired, narrowly missing Brandi and exploding in the branches of the tree behind her.</p><p>“I... I do need to run. I’m a monster.” Kenny said, slowly, stepping back. “I’m a monster.”</p><p>Brandi responded, her voice starting to rise but still reassuring and empathetic. "You're not a monster! You're not a monster, Kenny, I know that! You know how I know that? Because I know that somewhere, in there, is Kenny. Kenny who would give <em>ANYTHING</em> for his friends. Kenny who, when faced with any hardship, faced it with a great big blooming smile on his face! The Kenny I know, the Kenny I know would fight! So fight it, Kenny, I know you can do this! I know you're in there, Kenny, and I am <em>NOT</em> giving up on you! Theo's out here too, Theo, Candy, Adri, Hannah, Bash, all of us! We're out here for you, Kenny, because we all know that you're not a monster, and we all believe that somehow, some way, you'll be able to come back to us, because, well, you always do! You're always able to bounce back with a great big beaming smile on your face announcing "Kenny's here!" to the world, and we're all waiting, <em>hoping</em> here for that moment! We all love you so much, Kenny, please!"</p><p>The darkness started to fade from Kenny’s eyes.</p><p>He blinked, tears starting to well in his eyes.</p><p>“Kenny?” Brandi questioned. “Are you alright?”</p><p>Kenny ran towards Brandi, and hugged her tightly.</p><p>“I’m so sorry, Brandi, Theo, everyone.” he managed to say, before bursting into tears.</p><p>“Kenny, it’s alright,” Brandi said, hugging him back. “We’re a team. We’re always there for each other, we’d never abandon you. That’s not what we’re about.”</p><p>Theo approached slowly, tentatively wrapping their arms around the duo.</p><p>“I’m sorry, Kenny.” they said, apologetically. “We came after you as soon as we could, but evidently we may have been too late. But, it’s alright, you’re safe now.”</p><p>“Oi, c’mon everyone.” Brandi said, looking at the rest of the group. “Group hug.”</p><p>“Adri,” Theo interjected as they approached, “You hug on the <em>other</em> side from me, <em>outside</em> of the other people.”</p><p>From the center of the group hug, Kenny beamed. “Yeah. We’re the Special Defenders. We’re a <em>team</em>.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it!</p><p>I was inspired to write this by Ginnyvos and her Critical Ditto fic, Pound, so special shoutout and thank you to her!<br/>Thank you also to the Critical Ditto discord, I love you all!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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